The Department of Justice told Congress last year that the proposed attachment of the Rohrabacher-Farr amendment to a federal spending bill would “limit or possibly eliminate the department’s ability to enforce federal law in recreational marijuana cases.” To drive this home, the department issued a list of “informal talking points,” which were “intended to discourage passage” of the measure, according to a document obtained by Tom Angell, chairman of the Marijuana Majority.

Yet, nearly two months after the provision was passed in the House of Representatives and signed into law by President Obama, a memo released by Patty Merkamp Stemler, chief of the DOJ’s appellate division, admits the talking points do not “reflect our current thinking,” and that the amendment does not offer "any limitations on our ability to investigate and prosecute crimes involving recreational marijuana."

Although a number of House members voiced concerns last year over the reach of the Rohrabacher-Farr amendment, claiming that it would cripple the DEA’s ability to enforce federal law, the DOJ memo, which is dated February 27, 2015, suggests that the provision does nothing of the kind. In fact, while lawmakers who supported the measure were under the impression that they were taking the heat off dispensaries and patients in medical marijuana states, it turns out that the full scope of the provision does not offer any protection for the medical marijuana community.

The first time Brian Rogers took a bong hit at a party with his Havre de Grace High School friends, he said marijuana had no effect on him.

Now Rogers co-owns a multimillion-dollar marijuana company in Colorado at the center of the CNN docu-series, "High Profits," and he's no longer ambivalent.

"It's changed my life," the 34-year-old Harford County native said.

While recreational marijuana is illegal in 46 states — including Maryland — Colorado has been at the forefront of the legalization movement. And Rogers has been at the forefront of capitalizing on it.

Rogers and his girlfriend, 25-year-old Caitlin McGuire, opened the Breckenridge Cannabis Club in 2010 when marijuana was legal for medicinal purposes exclusively. Since then Colorado has legalized cannabis for recreational purposes, and Rogers has expanded his operation, becoming known as a "marijuana mogul" on cable TV.

Jeff Mizanskey has been serving a life sentence in prison for marijuana-only offenses for over two decades now. I am very happy to report that it was announced today that Jeff Mizanskey has been granted parole, and will finally be released from prison to return to his family. The granting of parole comes after a very long public awareness campaign ran by Jeff Mizanskey’s family and the Show-Me Cannabis campaign. Below is more about today’s announcement, via ABC News:

The only man in Missouri serving a life sentence without the possibility of parole for non-violent marijuana related offenses is now getting released from prison.

Jeff Mizanskey’s son tells ABC 17 News his father will soon get freed from the maximum security prison in Jefferson City. Mizanskey has already served more than 20 years in the prison for repeat marijuana offenses.

In May, Governor Jay Nixon commuted Mizanskey’s sentence. The Governor’s decision allowed for a parole hearing. Mizanskey’s parole hearing was held on August 6th.

After the August 6th parole hearing, it was estimated that the decision to deny or grant parole would take as long as 6-8 weeks. The fact that it only took four days to render a decision is a testament to just how unfair Jeff Mizanskey’s sentence was in my opinion. No one should have to serve even one day in a prison cell for marijuana, let alone over two decades. I am happy for Jeff, his family, and friends, and can’t wait to read about what he plans on doing once he is free. I want to extend an enormous kudos to the Show-Me Cannabis campaign for doing such an amazing job working with the Mizanskey family to wage the public awareness campaign! Jeff will finally be free!